US executive branch text over image of White HouseThis report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day’s press releases.

POTUS’ Schedule*

9:30 a.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief | The White House

10:15 a.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on the November jobs report | State Dining Room

12:15 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT has lunch with The Vice President | Private Dining Room

5:30 p.m. EST – THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route Camp David

VPOTUS’ Schedule*

12:15 p.m. EST – THE VICE PRESIDENT will have lunch with the President | Private Dining Room

White House Press Briefing Schedule*

1:30 p.m. EST – Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki | James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

*The US President (POTUS) and Vice President’s (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change, as is the White House press briefing schedule.

Recap of Thursday, December 2, 2021

Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.

The White House

December 3

  • Fact Sheet: The National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (NAP)

December 2

  • Remarks by President Biden on the COVID-⁠19 Winter Plan
  • Fact Sheet:  President Biden Announces New Actions to Protect Americans Against the Delta and Omicron Variants as We Battle COVID-⁠19 this Winter
  • Transcript:  Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on New Actions to Protect Americans Against the Delta and Omicron Variants This Winter
  • Statement from President Joe Biden on Unemployment Insurance Claims
  • Readout of the President’s Calls with Senator Murray and Senator Kaine on the Build Back Better Act
  • Remarks by President Biden at the National Christmas Tree Lighting
  • Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on U.S. Support for the Third Annual Prague 5G Security Conference
  • Transcript: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, December 2, 2021
  • Nominations Sent to the Senate
  • Proclamation on International Day Of Persons With Disabilities, 2021
  • Fact Sheet:  Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Reforms to Increase Equity and Level the Playing Field for Underserved Small Business Owners

Department of Defense (DOD)

  • Press Release: U.S. and PRC Hold Working Level Meeting on DoD 2021 Annual Report
  • Transcript: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook Hold a Press Conference Following the 53rd U.S.-Republic of Korea Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul
  • Article: U.S., South Korean Defense Leaders Assess State of Alliance
  • Article: Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence, Security Launches at University of Maryland
  • Readout from Tech Track II Symposium
  • Press Release: DoD Kicks Off 5G Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Experimentation at Hill AFB
  • Contracts for December 2, 2021

Department of State

Europe

  • December 2: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Andersson
  • December 2: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson Before Their Meeting
  • December 2: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to Mission Sweden S​taff
  • December 2: Statement | U.S.-EU: Joint Press Release by the EEAS and Department of State on the Second High-Level Meeting of the U.S.-EU Dialogue on China
  • December 2: Statement | Joint Statement on December 2 Sanctions in Response to the Situation in Belarus (USA, CAN, EU, UK)
  • December 2: Statement | Accountability for the Lukashenka Regime’s Continued Acts of Repression and Disregard for International Norms (Belarus)
  • December 2: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba
  • December 2: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba Before Their Meeting
  • December 2: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
  • December 2: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Remarks to the Press Before Their Meeting
  • December 2: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Press Availability at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
  • December 2: Remarks | Secretary Antony J. Blinken at OSCE Session 1

Middle East

  • December 2: Readout | Secretary Blinken’s Call with Israeli Prime Minister Bennett
  • December 2: Statement | Joint Statement on the Syria Special Envoy Meeting

Other Department Developments

  • December 2: Readout | Vice President Harris’ First National Space Council Meeting
  • December 2: Statement | On the Australian Sanctions Regime
  • December 2: Statement | On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • December 2: Advisory | Secretary Blinken to Participate in Reuters NEXT Virtual Global Conference (Dec. 3)

National Days

US Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Readout: USAID Administrator Samantha Power Meeting with Bruno Oberle, Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
  • Remarks: Administrator Samantha Power at the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ 2022 Global Humanitarian Overview Launch

US Mission to the United Nations (UN)

  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN General Assembly Meeting Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the UN Volunteers Program
  • Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing by the 1267, 1373, and 1540 Committees
  • Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the UN Investigative Team for Accountability of Da’esh/ISIL
  • Explanation of Position on a GA Resolution Titled Sport for Development and Peace: Building a Peaceful and Better World Through Sport and the Olympics
  • Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a Dedication Ceremony for the “Children’s Tree” at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

  • Press Release: National Counterterrorism Center’s Leadership Rides Along with U.S. Coast Guard Partners

Department of the Treasury

  • Sanctions: Treasury Expands Sanctions Against Belarusian Regime with Partners and Allies
  • Sanctions List Updates: Belarus Designations; Publication of Belarus Directive 1 and related Frequently Asked Questions; Issuance of Belarus General License 5

Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)

  • Press Release: SEC Adopts Amendments to Finalize Rules Relating to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act
  • Press Release: SEC Charges Pharma CFO and Former Partner with Insider Trading
  • Press Release: SEC Charges Latvian Citizen With Digital Asset Fraud

Department of Justice

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
  • Press Release: Panamanian Intermediary Pleads Guilty in Connection with International Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme
  • Press Release: Reward Offered for Mexican National Indicted for International Cocaine and Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges
  • Press Release: Puerto Rico Mayor Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Millions in Municipal Contracts
  • Press Release: Flower Mound Hospital to Pay $18.2 Million to Settle Federal and State False Claims Act Allegations Arising from Improper Inducements to Referring Physicians
  • Press Release: Two Arrested in Los Angeles for Their Roles in Hospice Fraud Conspiracy

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)/Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  • Press Release: DHS Statement on Operational Implementation of Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)
  • Press Release: DHS, Justice, and State Prepare for Court-Ordered Reimplementation of MPP
  • Press Release: DHS Announces New Cybersecurity Requirements for Surface Transportation Owners and Operators
  • Press Release: Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Publishes New Resources to Expand Community Outreach Efforts
  • Press Release: NSA and CISA Publish Third Installment of 5G Cybersecurity Guidance
  • Press Release: CBP releases report on internal investigations and accountability (Washington, D.C.)
  • Press Release: Partner Agencies Assist Border Patrol in Arrest of 30 (Texas)
  • Press Release: ATTENTION Holiday Shoppers | CBP Just Seized Over $30 Million Worth of Fake Designer Products (California)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

  • Link to FEMA press releases

Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)

  • Press Release: USTR Announces Intention to Join the Joint Declaration on the Advancement of Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment within Trade
  • Press Release: United States Welcomes Successful Conclusion of Negotiation of WTO Joint Statement Initiative On Services Domestic Regulation

Department of Commerce

  • Press Release: Registration Open for SelectUSA Investment Summit Taking Place in June at National Harbor
  • Press Release: Come One, Come All | Registration for the 2022 SelectUSA Investment Summit is Now Open!

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  • Press Release: FTC Sues to Block $40 Billion Semiconductor Chip Merger (re: Nvidia/Arm Ltd)

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

  • Press Release: Carr Announces Agenda and Panelists for Telehealth Roundtable

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • Press Release: USDA Issues Final Pandemic Payments for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

Department of Energy (DOE)

  • Press Release: DOE Awards $35 Million for Technologies to Reduce Methane Emissions

Department of Labor

  • Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor extends comment period for rulemaking to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat hazard
  • Press Release: UPDATED | U.S. Department of Labor cites one of the nation’s largest pork processors for exposing workers to repetitive motion injuries, placing essential workers at risk
  • Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor announces new web portal for federal contractors and subcontractors to certify whether they have developed and maintained an Affirmative Action Program
  • Press Release: New Hampshire carpentry contractor pays $107K in back wages, liquidated damages to 52 workers shortchanged by illegal pay practices

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Press Release: FDA Proposes Changes to Food Safety Modernization Act Rule to Enhance Safety of Agricultural Water Used on Produce